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Contact: Travis Mason-Bushman, 775-293-2146
BAKER, Nev. – Great Basin National Park recently celebrated a milestone with the completion of a $5.5 million rehabilitation of the park’s aging water distribution and wastewater collection systems. The long-awaited project was made possible by funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund.“Our most basic mission is to protect the health and safety of park visitors and staff, and that starts with clean, safe water,” Superintendent Ashley Adams said. “I’m thankful that the Great American Outdoors Act provided us with the resources we needed to renew our infrastructure and serve the American people.”
From the 13,063-foot glacier-carved summit of Wheeler Peak to the sagebrush foothills, more than 150,000 annual visitors enjoy Great Basin National Park’s scenery, history, and recreational opportunities. The park’s existing water and wastewater systems dated to the 1960s and were well beyond their design life. Frequent failures caused disruptions to visitor services such as restrooms and concession restaurants, and threatened the park’s firefighting capabilities.
Over the past year, contractors replaced more than two miles of water pipe and nearly a mile of sewage lines with long-lasting, modern materials. With Great Basin set to celebrate its 40th anniversary as a national park in 2026, this vital park infrastructure is now ready to welcome visitors and serve staff for decades to come.
GAOA’s Legacy Restoration Fund is part of a concerted effort to address extensive maintenance and repair needs in national parks. Supported by revenue from energy development, it provides the National Park Service with up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to make significant enhancements to ensure the preservation of national parks and provide current and future visitors with opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment.
Last updated: August 4, 2025